Oral-B Addresses Children's Oral Health Needs at All Stages of Development During National Children's Dental He...( NEW YORK Feb. 12 2009 /- Oral-B(R...),Health

NEW YORK, Feb. 12, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- Oral-B(R) Stages, the dental professional's #1 recommended toothbrush brand for children, today announced the launch of a campaign in recognition of National Children's Dental Health Month. The campaign will help provide education about the state of children's oral health in America, which continues to be a concern for both parents and healthcare providers alike. In fact, tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease(1) -- five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever(2) -- and has been recognized by both the U.S. Surgeon General and Congress as a "silent epidemic"(3).

As a leader in the oral care category and with the support of leading children's health thought leaders, Oral-B Stages will educate parents and healthcare providers about the importance of proper oral care at each stage of a child's development and offer solutions to help combat commonly-faced oral health issues before they lead to more severe health problems.

"Oral health is a commonly overlooked aspect of children's health and many parents don't realize that it can have a considerable impact on other areas of a child's development, including their speech(4), learning, nutrition and even self-esteem(5)," says Dr. Laura Jana, M.D., author and founder of Practical Parenting Consulting, LLC. "Parents should begin a proper oral care routine early and stay educated on the different oral health issues their children may face as they grow so they can be properly addressed."

Oral-B, with input and recommendations from leading experts like Dr. Laura Jana, recommends parents take the following steps to help maximize their child's oral health during all stages of development:

Stage 1 (4-24 months):

Babies and toddlers typically do not receive the recommended oral health risk assessment and interventions early enough,
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